http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp? ... 0411a.html

'Not A Civil Rights Movement,' Conservative Says
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
April 11, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D., Mass.), who co-sponsored the Senate bill that would allow illegal immigrants to "earn" U.S. citizenship, compared Monday's immigration rallies to the civil rights movement. But a conservative black minister challenged the comparison.

"This is reminiscent of the civil rights movement," Kennedy told a crowd of pro-immigration demonstrators in Washington. "It's equal in terms of intensity and feelings among the groups," wire reports quoted him as saying.

There is no comparison, said the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, the founder of a group that helps black men and their families better themselves.

"Ted Kennedy should be ashamed for comparing the civil rights struggles of blacks to that of illegal aliens," Peterson said in a press release. "Black Americans are being driven out of their jobs and schools by the influx of illegals -- while politicians like Kennedy sell them out for Hispanic votes."

Peterson noted that 30 years ago, 24 percent of the Los Angeles Unified School District was black, and 32 percent was Hispanic. Now, he said, 10 percent of the students are black and 70 percent are Hispanic.

"These figures should be alarming to anyone who cares about black Americans," Peterson said. He called it unfortunate that some politicians are more interested in the next election -- "and blacks are a small slice of the voting pie, while Hispanic numbers are exploding."

"Blacks must finally claim their birthright as Americans, and say 'no' to the further devastation of their workforce and communities by illegal aliens and their political accomplices," Peterson said.